We’re excited to share with you some new capabilities for Fortus FDM printers. These new features are through a Stratasys software update of Insight, which runs Fortus 250mc and higher printers.
ASA Colors, Now on Fortus 360mc and Up
Let’s begin with the ASA material. If you’ve been to one of our recent events, you’ve likely seen our comparison of ASA versus the ABS material. It’s got better strength characteristics and UV stability for exterior applications. We also found that ASA-printed parts hold detail better, especially in the 0.005″ layer resolution mode.
Earlier this year, Stratasys expanded the ASA material to include 10 colors—taking advantage of the better colorfast nature (fade resistance) as another benefit over ABS. However, only a limited number of Fortus printers could run any colors beyond ivory.
That’s changed with Insight 10.4. Now, the Fortus 360mc and up can run any ASA color. We would welcome you to get a sample part in ASA at the 0.005” layer height, and of course in a color that best fits your application! TriMech can also work with your own CAD design to give you benchmark results for a variety of printers and materials.
More ULTEM Choices
ULTEM is a high-performance thermoplastic that has been catching recent headlines for its inclusion in the Airbus A350 XWB. We also note that ULTEM will soon be deployed into space—not only interior but for exterior parts! This revolutionary material is available in two formulas for select Fortus printers.
The newest, ULTEM 1010, has NSF 51 food-contact certification, and it’s biocompatible with an ISO 10993/USP Class VI certification. The material was introduced last year, but only for the Fortus 900mc printer. Now, ULTEM 1010 is available for the Fortus 400mc as well.
Finally, the Fortus 400mc is getting a new slice height option for the ULTEM 9085 material: 0.013” (13 mil). This allows for thicker walls and ultimately stronger parts—perfect for the high-strength applications ULTEM is designed for.
Insight Update 10.4
All of the above FDM printer feature updates are part of Insight Update 10.4. Insight software is the powerful tool that comes with Fortus 250mc 3D printers and higher. It allows for fine toolpath control and more to help you print better parts, often with less material waste and faster build times.
The new software brings the material options to more printers, but it also has other performance and feature upgrades. Contact us today if you need assistance with upgrading or need more information.
Download our whitepaper: Thermoplastics: The Strongest Choice for 3D Printing to learn more about these materials and what they can withstand.
